Backsberg

Valentine’s Day at Backsberg – Special offer for Wine Club Members for the Danièle Pascal Dinner and Show

tanya — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 09:06:52 +0000

Just a reminder that Backsberg has three spectacular Valentine’s Day offerings for you to choose from; a Romantic breakfast for two with extra special trimmings, a picnic lunch to share under the trees or a Danièle Pascal show and dinner, ending the day off with lyrics in the language of love.

Dinner, Danièle Pascal Show and Welcoming Drink:

Special offer for wine club members, 10% discount on your ticket and wine bought at the event. When booking please inform Lee-Ann that you are a wine club member.

Ambassador of the French chanson Danièle Pascal will take you on a romantic musical journey with her new exciting show Colours of Love staged under the stars at Backsberg Estate Cellars on the Franschhoek wine route. The repertoire is filled with magical melodies and lustrous lyrics from the pens of Cole Porter, Charles Aznavour, Eartha Kitt, Jacques Brel, Nana Mouskouri, Michel Legrand…. French ballads, jazz standards and some of her own compositions, all interspersed with humorous anecdotes drawn from her colourful career.

She is accompanied by musical director, Pieter van Helslandt, on piano and vocals. They have been collaborating on many musical projects including cabarets, plays and musical dramas, and are currently working on a new album. Indeed a classy collaboration.

ALFRESCO DINNER

Aperitif: Kir

Crème de cassis with Backsberg Chenin Blanc

Platters for two

Smoked Salmon Roulade

Individual Vegetable Quiches

Chicken Kebabs

Marinated Mushrooms

Cherry Tomatoes, Purple Spring Onion

Cucumber Batons

Baby leaves and Fresh Basil

Parma Ham; Salami; Coppa

Brie; Camembert; Huguenot Cheeses

Homemade Fig Preserve and Fig Chutney

Fresh Baked Breads

Italian Kisses

Filter Coffee

Chocolate Truffles

Cost: R250 per person for dinner, show and a welcoming drink

Time: 19h00 for 19h30

Bookings: events@backsberg.co.za or please phone 082 495 2006.

Breakfast:

On arrival you will each receive a glass of love potion before embarking on a romantic breakfast experience together. Heart shaped vanilla pannacotta with strawberries, scrambled egg and chives on heart shaped toast with a smoked salmon rosette and a baby tomato skewer. Also includes Croissants, preserves etc. Complete your special breakfast with chocolate kisses and aromatic coffee.

Cost: R250 per couple.

Time: 08h00 – 11h00 am

Bookings: restaurant@backsberg.co.za or please phone 021 875 5952

OR:

Lunch:

Enjoy a Backsberg picnic to share under the trees on the lawn which will include valentine’s surprises for him and her. You will be thrilled with the fun and lighted hearted, yet abundant ‘bag’ of picnic treats. Spend lunchtime and into the afternoon, under the oaks, with a bottle of wine (red or white), delicious eats…something sweet to conclude and tea/coffee…or even better, a bottle of Sparkling Brut!

Cost: R250 per couple

Time: 12h00 – 15h00

Bookings: restaurant@backsberg.co.za or please phone 021 875 5952

Backsberg Wedding Packages 2012

tanya — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:04:50 +0000

2012 BACKSBERG WEDDING PACKAGES

Valentine’s Day at Backsberg Estate Cellars

tanya — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:25:34 +0000

Backsberg has three spectacular Valentine’s Day offerings for you to choose from; a Romantic breakfast for two with extra special trimmings, a picnic lunch to share under the trees or a Danièle Pascal show and dinner, ending the day off with lyrics in the language of love.

Breakfast:

Cost: R250 per couple.

Time: 08h00 – 11h00 am

Bookings: restaurant@backsberg.co.za or please phone 021 875 5952

Lunch:

Cost: R250 per couple

Time: 12h00 – 15h00

Bookings: restaurant@backsberg.co.za or please phone 021 875 5952

Dinner, Danièle Pascal Show and Welcoming Drink:

Cost: R250 per person for dinner, show and a welcoming drink

Time: 19h00 for 19h30

Bookings: events@backsberg.co.za or please phone 082 495 2006.

Two Wine Seminars at Backsberg

Harry Haddon — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 08:12:25 +0000

On the 28th and 31st of January we will be hosting two seminars run by Nancy Gilchrist MW. There are only 299 Masters of Wine in the world currently. Together with Master Sommelier, these are the highest wine qualifications one can obtain. We are looking forward to hearing what Nancy can teach us.

Seminar 1 – Food and Wine Pairing

Date: Saturday the 28th of January at Backsberg Estate Cellars

Time: 10:00 for 10h30 (the seminar is an hour and a half)

Cost: R200

Food and wine pairing can be tricky, but there are some solid fundamentals you can learn that can make the whole process much easier and a lot more enjoyable. No more cursing and sweating over whether the Sauvignon Blanc or Chenin Blanc should be paired with the fish, or how big a wine you need for that piece of fillet.

Nancy Gilchrist will be taking you through the the basics of pairing food and wine, examining how the various aspects of taste (bitter/sweet/sour etc) combine, and how best to match wines to your food. It will be a practical seminar where you will be able to taste wines with food as she guides you through the process.

Payment confirms booking, please email Tanya .

Seminar 2 - The Versatile Varieties: Another look at our most familiar grapes.”

Date: Tuesday 31st Jaunary at Backsberg Estate Cellars

Time: 18:00 for 18h30

Cost: R250

Looking at various ‘typical’ grape varieties, Nancy will chat about their history and specifics while you get to taste examples of each. This is a great seminar for those wanting to learn more about the wines they drink, who want a bit of background info on what makes their Cabernet Sauvignon a Cabernet Sauvignon. This seminar does not include a food element.

Payment confirms booking, please email Tanya .

Some of Nancy’s qualifications and pursuits:

Passed Master of Wine exam winning both the Rosemount and the Listel Scholarships

Contributes articles to Decanter, Food & Travel Magazine, and wine columnist for Country House & Home (2001-2003).

Judge at Decanter Wine Awards and IWC

Presents the regular wine course as well as Masterclasses at Christie’s Wine Education

Backsberg’s New Pinot Noir

Harry Haddon — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 12:33:25 +0000

In January Backsberg will be launching a new Pinot Noir. It will be called Beyond Borders and is from the 2010 vintage . It gets its name from the fact that we source the grapes from Durbanville and Elgin.

We have presented this wine to a number of foreign journalists who have visited us and have been well impressed with the wine. The oak has been judged perfectly by Guillaume Nell our wine-maker. He fermented the wine in open top 500l French barrels with daily bunch downs by hand. After the wine had completed fermentation it was pressed and aged in the same 500l barrels for 12 months.

The wine shows beautiful Pinot fruit, all cherries, strawberry and raspberries, with a touch of savoury spice from the oak. Despite the vineyards being quite young the wine is wonderfully full-flavoured, but still quite light-bodied.

It’s a wine that not only shows the delicious characters of Pinot Noir, but also the careful wine-making of Guillaume.

This is a wine to watch for the future – though delicious now – and as the vines age we will see a wine that grows in depth and complexity. It is a wine that everyone is very excited about.

As wine club-members you are eligible to pre-order this fantastic new wine before it made available to the public. For wine club members we are offering this wine at R497-00 per case of 6. This wine is over-delivering on quality at this price. Be smart, and have something different this Christmas.

Remember we ship nationally at very affordable rates. Mail tanya@backsberg.co.za for a quote.

Summer Mixes

Harry Haddon — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 13:10:58 +0000

The sun is out, the beaches are filling up, and the evenings are long. Summer is upon us and there is no better way to enjoy the long evenings and hot days than with a lovely glass of wine. Here are three special Summer mixes just for you. Remember we ship all over the country for reasonable prices. Please chat to Tanya to get a quote. All the prices below include VAT and discount, but exclude delivery charge.

Picnic Summer Mix

6 x Tread Lightly Sauvignon Blanc 2011

6 x Tread Lightly Chenin Blanc 2011

R377.90 incl discount, excluding delivery costs.

Lazy Day Summer Mix

3 x Backsberg Family Reserve White Blend 2009

3 x John Martin Sauvignon Blanc 2010

3 x Chardonnay 2010

3 x Chenin Blanc 2011

R859.95 incl discount, excluding delivery costs.

Luxury Summer Mix

1 x Hillside Viognier 2009

1 x Backsberg Family Reserve White Blend 2009

1 x MCC Brut 2008

1 x John Martin Sauvignon Blanc 2010

1 x Chardonnay 2009

1 x Klein Babylonstoren 2007

R544.95 incl discount, excluding delivery costs.

An old wine drinking well.

Harry Haddon — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 13:09:28 +0000

It’s always good to hear about wines that have left our cellars years ago, are eventually opened and we hear that they are doing very well. Here’s a note we received recently about our 1993 Cabernet Sauvignon

Recently my wife and I were busy re-housing our wine collection when we were delighted to come across a bottle of your 1993 Cabernet Sauvignon.

As Backsberg has always been one of our favourite estates and we’ve always enjoyed your wine we just wanted to let you know that at the age of 18 this wine made for delightful drinking.

Long may your Estate flourish

With best regards – Nick & Lorna Grant

Thanks Nick and Lorna for letting us know. And if anyone else out there has some 1993 in their cellars it probably is a good time to get drinking.

If you are opening an older Backsberg wine why not snap a pic, send it through, and tell us how the wine went down.

The 2011/12 Backsberg kykNET Picnic Concerts

Harry Haddon — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 13:08:25 +0000

Backsberg Estate Cellars, in association with kykNET, can’t wait to have you on the farm for their third Picnic Concert Series. Brilliant artists such as: Freshly Ground, Francois van Coke, Koos Kombuis and Dan Patlansky will have you tapping your toes to their awesome acoustic vibes.

Especially you our Wine Club members. We are offering two free glasses of Tread Lightly Merlot for you at any of the concerts you attend. All you have to do is let Tanya know what Concert you will be attending and she will send you vouchers which you can then redeem at the bar on the day.

There is a slight twist with the series this year as each of the performers will be bringing an up and coming artist with them to open the gig. It will be interesting to see who the artists believe is the future of South African music.

The series runs in two parts this year, the first five gigs take place every Sunday from 20 November 2011, to 18 December 2011; the second five - also on Sundays – are from 22 January 2012 to 13 February.

There is no better way to spend a Sunday afternoon than relaxing in the sun with a glass of fine wine as brilliant artists entertain you. Pack your umbrella, picnic blankets and lunches as kykNET and Backsberg take care of the rest. Audiences can choose to pre-book a special Backsberg picnic to enjoy with these sunset acoustic performances, or buy one of our famous lamb burgers at the venue. And, of course, it‘s just better with a glass of Backsberg wine.

Pre-sale tickets for the concerts and picnics are on sale from www.ticketbreak.co.za/backsberg. Tickets are R85 or R170 with a picnic and R100.00 at the gate. Children under 12 years get in free when accompanied by their parents.Please, no alcohol is allowed, but there are a selection of Backsberg Wines as well as beers on sale.

Admission to concert venue starts at 15:00, with the opening act starting at 16:00 and the main act at 17:00. For the full line up of bands, directions, comments, and more information on the series, please visit www.facebook.com/BacksbergConcerts

Wine Club Vat Cellar Dinner 2011

Harry Haddon — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 13:06:57 +0000

We had a very successful Wine Club dinner recently. The food was delicious and expertly prepared by our wonderful restaurant staff. Here are a few pictures telling the story of the evening. It really was great to have a bunch of wine club members together for an easy going dinner. We can’t wait for the next one.

Guests were greeted with a glass (or two if they were smart enough to arrive early) of our 2008 Brut. Fresh, clean and bright with a touch of brioche but more focused on lime/lemon springy fruit at the moment. Bubbly is a great aperitif as its acidity stimulates the appetite by putting the saliva glands to work.

Michael Back spoke to the members present about the year that has passed. He showed the hardships of running a wine farm by taking us through his day to day activities. It proved an even better aperitif than the bubbles, as many were so exhausted just listening to what the boss gets up to, they tucked into their food with unabashed gusto.

Each of the courses were paired with two wines. Here you see a Backsberg first. The red wine pictured is the first Pinot Noir Backsberg has produced in a good while. This was the first time that the public had been given a chance to taste the wine. It was very well received and its bright cherry fruits made an interesting pairing with the whole poached Salmon.

Our VAT cellar awaits the guests while Tanya puts the finishing touches to the table settings.

The main course was a loin of lamb with a potato cake and thyme sauce. It was paired with the 2003 and 2005 Family Reserve Reds. Both big wines with muscular tannins were well handed by the rich sauce and meat. The tannins melted away to reveal ripe, bright fruit in both wines. The wines split the group down the middle, with half preferring the 2003 and the other the 2005.

Guillaume Nell our wine-maker at the head of the table. He addressed the group and discussed the developments in the cellar . A new gravity-fed system is being put in place, so that we are able to process 100 tons of grapes in the manner of a boutique cellar: more gently, that is. He also spoke of how the 2011 harvest had been a difficult one, but that he was very happy with the wine that has been produced.

It was a super evening and a fantastic way for club members to hang-out and to get to know each other better over hearty food, and interesting wines. We will be having another one next year, be sure not to miss out on this wonderful evening.

Backsberg Picnic Series is weer terug, nou met geheime openings vertonings!!

Harry Haddon — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 07:25:22 +0000

Backsberg Estate Cellars, in samewerking met kykNET, kan nie wag om jou hier te hê vir die derde Picnic Series met opwindende vertonings soos volg: Freshly Ground, Francois van Coke, Koos Kombuis and Dan Patlansky . Hierdie vertonings gaan jou baie vinnig op jou voete kry met hul ongelooflike akoestiese klanke! Werklik iets om nie te mis nie.

Hierdie jaar is daar ‘n effense verandering in die program aangebring. Elke vertoning bied ‘n verassing tydens die vooraf optrede, met nuwe, toekomstige talent in die Suid-Afrikaanse musiekbedryf. Dit sal interessant wees om te sien wie steel die gehore se harte tydens die optredes. Dis jonk, dis nuut en gaan die KYK werd wees!

Hierdie jaar word die reeks in twee dele opgedeel; die eerste vyf optredes gaan plaasvind tussen 20 November 2011 en 18 Desember 2011, met die tweede deel tussen 22 Januarie 2011 en 13 Februarie, elke keer op ‘n heerlike Sondag middag.

Daar is nie ‘n beter manier om ‘n Sondag te spandeer saam familie , vriende en briljante kunstenaars om julle geselskap te hou. Pak jou sambreel, piekniek mandjie en komberse en kom geniet ‘n glasie goeie wyn. Die gehoor kan vooraf bespreek vir ‘n heerlike piekniek mandjie wat ook slaggerreed sal wees om hierdie vertonings nie mis te loop nie. Natuurlik het julle ook die keuse van ons alombekende lamsburgers wat ook beskikbaar sal wees tydens die vertonings.

Kaartjies kan vooraf bespreek word by www.ticketbreak.co.za/backsberg en sal beskikbaar wees vanaf 10 November 2011. Koste beloop R85 of R100 by die hekke. Kaartjies met vooraf bespreekte piekniekmandjie verkoop teen R170. Kinders onder 12 kan gratis kom kyk mits hulle ouers hul vergesel by vertonings.

Aanloop tot konsert begin 15:00, met die openings optrede om 16:00, en die hoof optrede wat teen17:00 sal afskop! Vir enige vrae of aanwysings kan julle gerus op www.facebook.com/BacksbergConcerts gaan inloer.

Volledige Program

Deel 1

20 Nov: Melissa van der Spuy
27 Nov: Freshlyground
04 Des: Koos Kombuis
11 Des: Dan Patlansky
18 Des: Plush

Deel 2

22 Jan: Robin Auld
23 Jan: Die Tuindwergies
30 Jan: Blues Broers
06 Feb: Laurie Levine
13 Feb: Francois van Coke

Vir enige informasie, voel gerus om my te kontak by:

Harry Haddon

harry@backsberg.co.za

+27 21 8755141